Mon State stands along the upper part of the Taninthayi coastal strip. The total area is 4,747 square miles. There are islands, hills, equatorial forests, crop land and plantations. Mawlamyine, the third largest city in Myanmar, is the capital of Mon State. The famous Kyaikhtiyo Pagoda is located north of Kyaikhto. Thaton is the capital of ancient Mon Kingdom, much earlier than Bagan. There are many beautiful sea resorts such as Kyaikkami and Setse. There is a War Memorial in Thanbyuzayat, connected with the Bridge on the River Kwai. Mawlamyine is accessible by air, train or car from Yangon. As regards road and railways, the railroad starts from Yangon. It goes on from Mawlamyine to Yay while the motor road goes on beyond the boundary of Mon State right down to Myeik. Heading towards the eastern border with Thailand, there are two routes. The first is the Mawlamyine-Kawkareik-Myawady-Maesot route and the second the Three Pagodas route starting from Thanbyuzayat. There are proper roads linking all the towns in Mon State. see photos of Mon State